Bad Theater Behavior

[Dollypop]

A few weeks ago I took my eight year old granddaughter to a Young People's Concert at Lincoln Center. It was she who noticed the large number of people texting during the performance. She also realized that the majority of the culprits were grown ups. She commented, "If they don't want to hear the music they should just stay home." I didn't mention to her that most of the texters were probably divorced dads who where there out of obligation.

[jemjeb2]

Why assume divorced Dads were the culprits?

Much of the blame for the eating problem lies with the theatres. Ticket prices have become nearly unaffordable, so do they still need to grab every dollar they can by selling food in the lobby? Potato chips, noisy candy bags, etc. In our obese nation, it's not surprising that people can't manage to sit through a show without stuffing their faces. As for Ms Sushi eater - talk about clueless!
I started theatregoing in the late 60's. Can you imagine a time when there was no texting, eating, drinking during the performance and people dressed up for the occasion. Now it's like riding the Greyhound Bus. Whatever happened to class?

[Mr Roxy]

Class died a long time ago.It's ashes are on sale in all theater lobbies.

[SweetLips]

Great reply Mr Roxy.Society,in general,has become more 'relaxed'and all about 'me'.It annoys me no end to see people put their feet up on chairs in coffee shops,call my 95yo Mum and me 'guys'.Perhaps printed on tickets/a notice board as you enter the theatre-no phone/no talking/no eating/no warning etc.Terrible that is should come to this but unfortunately the ones who offend won't ever read this board.

[LizzieCurry]

There are often "no cell phone" signs in Broadway theatres.

P.S. Fix your space bar.

[SweetLips]

Sorry--what offends you?

[beensince1987]

My experience, MY EXPERIENCE, 80-90% of the time, texters at shows and operas were women.

Please don't scream at me, these were what I encountered.

[Dollypop]

"Why assume divorced Dads were the culprits?"

It was a Saturday matinee when theaters tend to be filled with divorced Dads who are having "quality time" with their daughters. Besides, at several times in the program the houselights came up and we could see the texters were bored men.

[KathyNYC2]

Maybe it was just a coincidence..I have seen plenty of texters who were woman and teens and yes men too.

As to what their marital status is, I have no idea. Just because one parent is there with a child does not necessarily mean divorce. Theater is expensive..maybe only one goes to cut costs.

[ClydeBarrow]

I've probably experienced just about every type of bad behavior imaginable in a theatre.

Lately I've noticed a trend of people loudly chomping gum throughout a show. The most recent time was actually so bad that I didn't even hear the woman chomping but I actually saw her out of the corner of my eye. Another woman seated between us actually left her seat 15 mins into the show and moved. This continued through all of Act 1 and I had to put my hand against my face to block her out. At intermission I saw that she wanted to keep the chomping going so I leaned over and asked her to "stop chomping so loudly" and she immediately spat her gum into her hand.

And to SweetLips, you just look dumb by not using any spaces or capital letters.

[forgetmenotnyc]

I just survived an experience that thankfully allowed me to move to an empty seat during intermission. It involved loud gum-chewing, excessive aural self commenting, knee/foot banging on the back of my seat, & crinkling water bottle drinking. Moving 4 rows up & across a center aisle gave an interesting perspective that allowed me to chill out a bit but I swear I could still hear the gum smacking. I hand it to the earlier poster who successfully communicated their observation enough to get the chomper to spit out their gum. I didn't trust that I could have gotten away with that one.

My experience at Matilda was seriously compromised w/finding myself amongst groups of kids who were making more noise than you could imagine with packages of candy. Chaperones were several seats over from the biggest offenders, so the problems couldn't be properly addressed. Then intermission sold them even MORE & I felt like they were all just revolting. (I did write am email note of complaint to the theatre afterwards, telling them they really shouldn't be selling candy to unchaperoned children, but never received any return response so doubt anything was accomplished with it.)

[EricMontreal22]

Jesus, I wish my divorced father had gotten the memo that he was meant to take his kids to the theatre out of guilt...

There's a theatre in Vancouver that always has very good ushers. However, this backfired when I saw the Pet Shop Boys play a concert there. They didn't seem to realize that, for good or bad, it's now become suddenly "allowed" to film bits of pop concerts with your cell phone (I can't remember the last time that anyone at a concert actually checked for cameras at the door.) So, much more distracting than the people filming parts of their favorite songs were the constant ushers coming up to tell them not to.

[SweetLips]

To Mrs/Ms/Mr/Miss ClydeBarrow-Please re-read my post-I think you will see the occasional capital letter where necessary.Why would/should you care how I look/come across-you're not my Mother-but perhaps it's your Motherly instincts trying to protect/teach her young that kicked in.I think that gum-chewing lady should have placed her gum across your mouth instead of into her hand.Let people post how they want-peoples' speech,and typing vary with the individual[and education].You complain about bad behaviour in theatre--what about on here,eh!

[SweetLips]

I was going to delete my previous post but felt it needed to be left there and to add to it how hurtful it is to be called 'dumb' by someone you don't know.I take enormous pleasure reading everyting here and am now just getting the courage to type the odd post.I may not have the typing skills,intelligence and knowledge of others on here,but to say I 'look dumb' is a little shattering to my confidence. I am going to report it and just see what the moderators have to say about this incident.I am still going to read and enjoy-perhaps not post,thank you ClydeBarrow.

[StickIt]

It's not really asking much for people to abide by basic rules of grammar and punctuation in a medium of communication that involves reading and comprehending other peoples' posts. Nobody's asking you to write a Pulitzer Prize winning novel. It's not hard. Spaces after periods and commas, capital letters for proper nouns and at the beginning of sentences. Simple.

[ClydeBarrow]

I'm not really sure where your confusion is stemming from. I've said many times that I'm a dude and never once said otherwise (Sutton Ross, I am not). Having said that, I don't have any motherly instincts but try again and you might get the next ludicrous statement correct. Maybe you should read all posts since I wasn't the first person to comment on your lack of spacing.

I actually don't think the woman should have placed her gum across my mouth because that would be assault. If you're spearheading a campaign for people being assaulted because they try to curb a person's bad behavior then I don't think you'll get very far.

To comment on the second post, please stop playing the victim. I said you look dumb because you don't know how to use a space bar. I'm sure people have been far worse to you in your life (I know they have to me). You'll live.

[SweetLips]

Dear Mr Barrow,Of course I'll live and I am a victim of your cruel mouth.Yes-someone else did point out about spacing[none of their business either]something which I know nothing about.If you must comment on how another person types,you're going to be a very busy person because every one on here makes mistakes[obviously you don't].My complaint about your use of words has been passed on to the Board.

[EricMontreal22]

...I suppose you genuinely are new here if you think the mods will do anything about anything...

[SweetLips]

To Stickit-As I have never had a typing lesson and still a '2 finger typist', it's learn as I go. I don't appreciate your school marm style of reply[look at me-I'm MissPerfect] but at least from your post I learnt something about spacing and if I make mistakes-you'll just have to live with it-or read over-it's very simple.

[ClydeBarrow]

"every one on here makes mistakes"

So you "mistakenly" don't use spaces between sentences in every post you write?

[StickIt]

I'm more than happy to ignore every post you make. I just thought, apparently incorrectly, that you might want to sound educated when you type. As you were.

[LizzieCurry]

I actually haven't seen Matilda yet due to not wanting to deal with the audience. Would a weeknight be better?

Though FWIW, when I saw Elf in Washington DC and Annie on Broadway, there WERE plenty of kids who were behaving way better than the adults they were with. They were a little wiggly and would occasionally ask what was going on, but they at least weren't texting or taking pictures.

[SweetLips]

Thanks, but don't need you to validate my every word [but see, a space--learning !]. PS Don't need to 'sound educated' as that seems to put YOU into an elevated position of intelligence-don't need to be in that elite society-thanks anyway for your concern-appreciated.

[ArtMan]

SweetLips, you type fine. No need to explain yourself. I personally would never be so harsh to criticize anyone for something as trivial as spacing. Unfortunately, there are a few on here, that love to tell others what they are doing wrong. I have been where you are sitting. The key in dealing with them is to insult back and put them in their place. If that doesn't work yell BOO, and they scamper without a word.

[perfectlymarvelous]

LizzieCurry, the kids weren't the issue the last time I saw Matilda. The ones seated around me at least seemed engaged and were mostly quiet. The adults with them, however...the mother in front of me was commenting on everything that was happening to no one in particular when I saw it in January. Her daughter, on the other hand, was very quiet and well-behaved.

And that's not the only show where I've seen that happen.

[ClydeBarrow]

I got one last thing for you, Sweety.